Tanning apparatus



July 29, 1969 KNECHT ET AL 3,457,743

TANNING APPARATUS I Filed April 8. 1968 z Sheets-Sheet 1 METER REI/iRSABLk MOTOR INVENTORS Lac/W63 Knecht riedrich h'eblz'ng BY ,Mm, M 4M ATTORNEYS July 29, 1969 KNECHT ET AL TANNING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 8, 1968 Fig.5

m m w 63 1% k 8 w F LF m W, W mzdj ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,457,743 TANNING APPARATUS Ludwig Knecht, Wieshaden-Bierstadt, and Friedrich Hehling, Nackenheim, Germany, assignors to Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nurnberg Aktiengesellschaft, Nuremberg, Germany Filed Apr. 8, 1968, Ser. No. 719,597

Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 23, 1967,

Int. Cl. C14c 15/00 US. Cl. 6930 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tanning apparatus is composed of a tub having a skin holding perforated drum rotatable therein. The cover can be coupled to the tub so that relative movement between the tub and drum will either open or close the cover. The tub can be turned when the cover is open to spill the skins from the drum.

This invention relates to an apparatus for processing skins and fur pelts in a perforated or sieve-like drum freely rotatably mounted in a tub. Pipelines are connected to the tub for introducing the tanning liquid and pH measuring probes are located in the tub.

In the art of tanning skins and pelts, the skins and pelts have been heretofore immersed in wooden or synthetic material barrels and treated with tannic acid in the barrels. The barrels are mounted so that they can be totated and have openings through which skins or pelts can be introduced and removed. The tannic acid solution needed for the tanning is introduced through pipe lines at several points in the drum.

A tanning machine has also been heretofore used in which a sieve-like drum is rotatably mounted within a tub which forms an encasing jacket. The sieve-like drum can be lifted from its mountings by means of a lift crane in order to facilitate the removing of the skins and pelts and the drum can be rotated so that the opening cover points downwardly so that after the cover has been opened the skins and pelts can be easily pulled out. A tanning machine so constructed substantially simplifies the tanning process and thus achieves a savings in time and money. On the other hand, this machine has the disadvantage in that it needs the means for lifting the drum from the tub in order to empty the drum.

The object of this invention is to improve upon the aforesaid tanning machine in such a way that the drum can be emptied of its contents simply and quickly without lifting the drum from the tub.

In general, this and other objects are obtained in that, in addition to the perforated drum, the tub is also rotatably mounted on the shaft of the perforated drum and the drum has a slidable cover which opens and closes a large opening and which is provided With means for locking the cover in open and closed positions.

This makes it possible to perform a tanning process which is greatly automated and in which the tanned skins and pelts can be removed from the drum merely by rotating both the drum and tub into a tilted position so that the skins or pelts can be easily removed from the drum. This eliminates a cumbersome manual handling of the skins, and because they can be rapidly removed from the drum, it is possible to introduce a new charge of skins into the drum in a short period of time. Also, by using controllable opening and closing means, it is possible to control the loading and removing of the skins from the drum by means of a control panel. Consequently, the personnel operating the machines in tanning rooms do not need to stay in the room the time heretofore necessary.

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In order to make the tanning apparatus as compact as possible, this invention mounts the coupling device for the slidable cover on the inner wall of the tub.

A further feature in the invention is that a common drive mechanism such as a reversible electric motor is used for rotating the drum and tilting or turning the tub around the shaft of the drum.

The means by which the objects of the invention are obtained are described more fully with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view through the apparatus with the drum open for receiving a charge of skins or pelts;

FIGURE 2 is a similar view showing the drum filled with skins;

FIGURE 3 is a similar view showing the drum as it is being rotated in the tannic acid solution;

FIGURE 4 is a similar view showing the drum stopped and the first step in opening the cover;

FIGURE 5 is a similar view showing the cover being opened;

FIGURE 6 is a similar view showing the drum and tub tilted for discharging the skins;

FIGURE 7 is a similar view showing the empty drum being returned to starting position; and

FIGURE 8 is a similar view showing the drum being rotated to open the cover for receiving a new charge of skins.

As shown in the drawings, the apparatus of this invention is composed of a perforated drum 1 which is rotatably mounted in tub 2. A slidable cover 3 is positioned on the outer surface of drum 1 and covers approximately one-fourth of the drum circumference. Locking and opening devices 4 and 5 are provided on the ends of cover 3 and stops 6 and 7 are mounted on drum 1. Coupling means 8 are provided for the unlocking means 5 of cover 3 at the ends of the cover and these coupling means are fastened to the inner wall of drum 1. The coupling means 8 is composed substantially of one or more coupling pins which are displaceable radially of the drum 1 and are actuated by gear rods or other means extending outwardly of the drum which can be moved manually or automatically. In order to hold tub 2 in upright position for introducing a charge of skins or in its position for discharging skins, a slidable latch is mounted on the outer surface of tub 1 which has a bolt 10 supported by the frame of the apparatus. Tanning acid is introduced into tub 2 through pipe 11 and pH probes extend into the tub. A heating jacket 12 is attached to the tub 2 in order to heat the tannic acid solution. Finally, drum 1 and tub 2 are connected to a motor M which is used both for rotating the drum and tilting or turning the tub.

The operation of the tanning apparatus of this invention is as follows. When drum 1 is positioned for receiving a charge of skins, the tub 2 mounted on the shaft 13 and the drum 1 are both vertical as shown in FIGURE 1. In FIGURE 2, the drum has been filled with skins and the drum 1 rotated slowly counterclockwise until the cover 3 is slid to a closed position. In order to prevent the cover 3 from moving with the drum, the coupling pin 8 engages an opening in the cover and prevents the cover from moving. After drum 1 has been closed by the cover, the cover is fastened by locking device 4 and the coupling pin 8 disengaged from the cover as shown in FIGURE 3. Drum 1 is then rotated clockwise to start the tanning process. After the tanning process is finished, as shown in FIGURE 4, coupling pin 8 is engaged with cover 3 and lock 4 is opened. The drum 1 is rotated clockwise, FIG- URES 4 and 5, until the cover is slid open. Bolt 10 is then removed from the latch 9 and both the tub 2 and drum 1 rotated around shaft 13 until the skins are spilled or easily pulled from the drum as shown in FIGURE 6.

A cart can be moved below tub 2 into which the tanned skins are dumped. When drum 1 is empty, FIGURE 7, it is closed by sliding cover 3 through relative movement between the drum and cover, the cover being engaged by pin 8 and closing against stop 6. After reaching the position in FIGURE 7, the tub is then rotated clockwise as in FIGURE 8 for opening the cover so that a new charge can be placed in the drum. The tanning process is then repeated with the new charge.

The apparatus of this invention can be used to remove hair or fur, to dye material or other similar processes in addition to tanning of skins. This apparatus can also be used in the preparatory operations necessary for producing gelatin.

Having now described the means by which the objects of the invention are obtained.

We claim:

1. In a skin and pelt tanning apparatus comprising a tub, a substantially cylindrical, perforated Wall drum, journal means mounting said drum within said tub for rotation about a common axis with the axis of rotation being horizontal, pipe means for introducing liquids into said tub and pH probe means Within said tub, the improvement comprising bearing means mounting said tub for rotation about the same axis of rotation, releasable means locking said tub against rotation, a loading and unloading opening in the circumferential wall of said drum,

- said cover for efiecting movement said cover relative to said drum.

3. In an apparatus as in claim 2, further comprising motor means for rotating said drum and turning said tub.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 39,824 9/1863 Mereness 69-3O 3,164,002 1/1965 Rossi 6930 FOREIGN PATENTS 107,522 1/ 1900 Germany. 460,869 4/ 1950 Italy.

ALFRED R. GUEST, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

